DEPUTY MINISTER CHANA-MAJAKE URGES SUCCESSFUL FEMALE LEADERS TO FOSTER A CULTURE OF EMPOWERMENT AMONG THEMSELVES

In her keynote address delivered at the start of the inaugural Public Service Women in Leadership Retreat held at Sun City Convention Centre, in the North West Province during Women’s Month, Deputy Minister Dr Pilane-Majake acknowledged progress in women's empowerment in most sectors of society. However, the Deputy Minister also stated that the current statistics show that more ground needs to be covered, given the feminised face of unemployment, inequality, and poverty.

Deputy Minister Dr Chana Pilane-Majake called on the gathering of 200 mostly female leaders and managers within the Public Service to use their influence to empower women still climbing the ranks of the Public Service.

The inaugural Public Service Women in Leadership retreat, organised in collaboration with the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), the Premier's Office of the North West Province, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), served as a fitting end to the Women's Month programme, which concluded on 30 August 2023.

Nearly seven decades ago, on August 9, 1956, thousands of women marched to Pretoria's Union Building to protest the apartheid regime's severe Pass Laws. As a result, the Deputy Minister instructed the retreat's female senior managers and leaders to "reflect on their role in Government and the extent to which they are contributing to changing the socio-economic imbalances that continue to have a negative impact on the lives of women."

The three-day retreat, according to Deputy Minister Dr Pilane-Majake, is just one of many efforts to improve the situation of women in society, with much more to be done.

"A catalytic approach is required to develop practical interventions for women's advancement and inclusion in all trade and businessdriven departments and state institutions...towards economic inclusion of women that will, in general, accelerate economic growth with improved GDP for a better life for all," said the Deputy Minister.

Senior management from the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) and the National School of Government (NSG) also spoke during the retreat's morning session, delivering updates on the National Implementation Framework towards the Professionalisation of the Public Service.